Hannah’s Foster Care Story

At age thirteen, Hannah’s life looked bleak. Living in Louisiana with parents who were in and out of the picture and involved with drugs, Hannah found herself working as a waitress to help make ends meet. In fact, it got to the point where Hannah was forced to choose between working and attending school.

But then a friend from Kansas bought her a bus ticket to come visit, and Hannah’s life began to change. After living with her friend’s family for a year and a half, Hannah entered the foster care program at EmberHope Youthville.“They are all a big help to me,” Hannah says of her three foster placements. “I was very fortunate to get placed with the people I did.”Hannah credits EmberHope Youthville for sparking a total turnaround in her life.“They helped me out a lot,” she says.“The car they donated to me was a big part of it,but they also helped me out with personal hygiene items. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, clothes….I had a lot of support, and my case workers were very personal.”

Today, Hannah is not only a high school graduate—something that once seemed like an impossible dream—but she’s enrolled at Wichita State with plans to enter the medical field. Hannah says she wants to help others as she’s been helped.“Just a few years ago, I never thought I would go to college, just financially, I didn’thave the money for that,” Hannah says. “I have a lot more opportunities now, and people who took care of me. I don’t think I would have half the stuff I have without being a part of EmberHope Youthville.”